Authentic Chinese – DA JIA LE

Authentic Dongbei Cuisine in Schöneberg

Authentic Chinese in Berlin? Yes. There are. Actually quite a few. The issue is: no matter how authentic they are, they still have to cater to the local taste. Therefore you will always find a somewhat mixed menu. A mix of authentic and “westernised” dishes. But that true for pretty much every country outside of China.

Da Jia Le is certainly one of the most authentic ones we have been so far. We decided to come here after we had read a few positive reviews. We were not disappointed. They claim to be specialised in Dongbei, which is a Northeastern China specialty Cuisine.

This authentic Chinese restaurant is located in a somewhat unattractive area in Schöneberg (please refer to map). Once you enter the place you will immediately get the authentic Chinese vibe. From the very simple and somewhat tacky décor details to the giant chandelier. The soundtrack is absolutely authentic and somewhat irritating. But fits like a glove. The place is huge! So unless you are super unlucky, reservations are not required.

The menu has pictures!! And is somewhat reduced compared to some of the other authentic Chinese places in Berlin. That helps. That does not mean there is a shortage of options, though. When in doubt, it is always a good idea to ask the friendly staff.

We ordered the Cucumber salad in chilli and vinegar sauce, aubergine in soy sauce (not super Chinese but yummy nonetheless) and a spicy, lively and peppery Szechuan style beef stew (probably the most authentic we’ve had in Berlin so far). Warning: The Szechuan dishes are for advanced Chinese peppercorn lovers! The food was all very tasty. We feel, however, we just scratched the surface of what one can enjoy here. We will come back to try their Dongbei specialties.